Florida deputy accused of asking teens he met on duty to make pornographic videos

Suspect faces solicitation charges

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – A patrol deputy is off the job for reportedly asking teenage girls he met while on duty to make pornographic videos in exchange for cash, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said a female victim reported an inappropriate encounter involving Lake County deputy Jose Rodriguez in early March to the Clermont Police Department and the investigation began from there.

According to the report, Rodriguez met several teenage girls while patrolling in the Minneola area and would recruit them to work at his second job that involved working for an organization that checks to see whether retailers are abiding by state tobacco laws.

The underage girls would attempt to make undercover tobacco purchases at businesses in the area, records show.

Three of those girls, who were 16 and 17 years old, said Rodriguez asked them to make pornographic videos in exchange for cash between 2016 and 2019, according to authorities.

One victim claimed she met Rodriguez in 2016 when she was caught skipping school and on the last day of doing undercover work, he asked her if she would be interested in getting paid to make pornographic videos with younger girls, according to the affidavit.

Another said Rodriguez pulled her over in December 2017 and when she told him she had no money, he offered her the opportunity to do undercover work and said once he trusted her, he could offer her more work. Records show that a few weeks later, he told her that his friend makes pornographic videos and they would each receive $500 if they made one together.

The third girl said she met Rodriguez after she ran away from home and he asked for her number so he could check on her. During one conversation, he told her if she ever needed extra money, “I got you” and then told her she could make $800 by appearing in a pornographic video, according to authorities.

Deputies said Rodriguez admitted to recruiting teens to help him with his second job but wouldn’t answer any further questions about the allegations.

He was arrested Tuesday at 8 p.m. on three counts of solicitation to commit sexual performance by a child.

He was suspended when the investigation began and now, termination proceedings are underway.

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About the Author:

Adrienne joined News 6's digital team in October 2016 to cover breaking news, crime and community interest stories. She graduated from the University of Central Florida and began her journalism career at the Orlando Sentinel.